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standing up for what you believe in

So, tomorrow’s the big day! #KidsStrike3rdMay, and mine and Sophie’s parallel campaign, #THISislearning (which you don’t have to be striking to join in with!).

How am I feeling? Excited, nervous and frazzled. I have all of the feels at the moment. Sometimes I think my heart might burst out of my chest. I’m like some hopeless romantic or desperate optimist or frightened radical or, I don’t know… it’s exhausting.

The last few weeks have been manic. Actually, ever since I published my ‘No Mr Cameron, No.’ blog post back in March (which ten thousand people read in a week – a number so hugely vast, in terms of this blog, that I still haven’t got my head round it!) things have been feeling slightly out of control. There’s nothing quite like writing a passionate, heartfelt post and having people respond to it in an equally passionate, heartfelt way. To be a bit navel-gazy and pretentious for a moment, I feel like I’ve been on a bit of a journey. I’ve been inspired and enthused, I’ve learned masses and I’ve ended up way out of my comfort zone launching a whole campaign of my own. When people responded the way they did, I couldn’t ignore it. I had to act.

So a month ago I decided to keep my boys off school for the Kids Strike. I wrote a personal letter to their school explaining how happy they have been at their school and that the action isn’t against the school or teachers (who are fab) but against educational policy which NEEDS to change for the sake of all our kids. Some headteachers across the country are marking absences for the strike as ‘educational’ in recognition of that – how wonderful, eh? Totally in the spirit of parents and teachers working together! Still, it’s officially against the law so little goody-two-shoes, rule-abiding me is having to take a deep breath over it all…

… A deep breath while also shouting “Upon St Cripsin’s day!” a la Kenneth Branagh in Henry V (quietly to myself, I’m not THAT weird) and marching onwards.

As for #THISislearning – our parallel campaign to spread positive images, messages and stories about real learning across social media on May 3rd – well, there’s been so much good stuff come from that already. People sharing stories, doing fabulous drawings and really wanting to make it clear to our government that current educational policy is wrong, not just by striking (although hooray for that!) but also by sharing examples of what real learning looks like. That’s what tomorrow is all about for me – real learning and positive action. Together, a friend and I have all sorts of activities planned, albeit with enough flexibility to follow our kids’ lead. We want the day to be fun, we want them to learn and we want them to see that when it’s important, you have to stand up for what you believe in.

I would love lots of people to join in with #THISislearning. I hope they do. It means so much to me.

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10 thoughts on “standing up for what you believe in”

Good for you Maddy and looking forward to seeing all the different learning activities today. I’ve sent Jessica in to preschool as normal because she loves it so much but we’re looking forward to some fun craft activities later to join in with you. Well done on helping kickstart this whole movement and on managing to complete Camp NaNoWriMo at the same time *bows down in awe* Louise (Little Hearts, Big Love) recently posted…Five years on – a heart dad’s perspective

It has been quite a rollercoaster, hasn’t it? I’ve been sitting here trying to write down a post about how I feel about it all – not just our campaign, but the whole kids’ strike and especially some of the negative responses to it. All of the trolls seem to have crawled out of the woodwork today to have a pop! I just wish people would take the time to understand really what the issues are, to have a go at taking the tests themselves (which was what made me realise quite how absurd they are!) and to trust that no, these educated, broad-minded parents are not taking action because they do not want their kids to be assessed but because these particular tests are just wrong! Anyway. I’m in danger of writing a whole blog post here, but my thoughts need a bit more formulating first… Huge well done on kicking this whole thing off with your brilliant ‘No Mr Cameron’ post. I hope you’re now managing to get some rest! xx

PS well done on Camp NanoWrimo too – seriously good work Sophie Lovett recently posted…Today is the day

I’ve heard bits about this but I wasn’t really sure what it was all about. Reading this though, I totally agree with you! I moan about them like everyone else, but I’m so glad for the Welsh Assembly and the buffer it has provided on health and education. There are no more SATs, and all of KS1 has been replaced by a ‘learning through play’ style foundation phase. England just seems to be going totally in the opposite direction, all tests and Latin and generally looking back when they ought to be looking forward. x #thetruthaboutJess Powell (Babi a Fi) recently posted…Edward I Revision Notes

Well done on starting a campaign. I hope it all went well yesterday and that it goes some way towards changing the way things are. I am very glad that my children are not affected by the English education system.Fionnuala Three Sons Later recently posted…Not Quite 27 Dresses

Maddy, I hope you are taking a well earned rest, and also that you feel very proud of yourself for all that you did on this from you No Mr Cameron No post to the #THISislearning campaign. It is astounding what you have achieved, and I am in awe. As you know this is a subject close to my heart, and you doing this helped me take the first political action in my life. We had a great day doing fun learning and the girls really enjoyed it, but I was exhausted! xxAlice @ The Filling Glass recently posted…How to hush the noise in your brain

I hope you are having a bit of a rest after achieving so much. The campaign really developed momentum. Great idea to protest by using the day for good and learning. Although I didn’t keep my kids at home I totally get why you campaigned. Well done.

Wow, well done Maddy for your amazing campaign and for having the courage to spearhead an action that so many people believe in. I hope the actual day went really well and that some change comes of it. And congrats on your CampNanoWrimo win – throwing it in there at the end, Miss Modest! xxJess Paterson recently posted…How To Speak To A New Mum, When Youâre A Mum

I think it is important to be able to feel your feelings and stand up for what you believe in – I teach Grace that all the time. She is not happy with her father over something at the moment but she isn’t quite there yet to be able to vocalise herself. Well done in doing this. I hope it went well. Well done on the Camp Nanowrimo too! Awesome! #TheTruthAboutVerily Victoria Vocalises recently posted…Lucuma & Chocolate Superfood Pudding Recipe #GlutenFree #SugarFree #DairyFree